THE HON ANTHONY ALBANESE MP
LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
MEMBER FOR GRAYNDLER

THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING
MEMBER FOR SYDNEY

LIBERAL SKILLS CUTS ARE HOLDING SOUTH AUSTRALIA BACK

There are 17,000 fewer apprentices and trainees in South Australia than there were before the Liberals were elected six years ago.

Official data shows more than 17,000 apprentices and trainees have been lost, including around 10,000 in Adelaide alone.

The Liberals have no plan to fix the skills crisis in South Australia.

Employers are crying out for qualified workers, particularly in regional South Australia. The skills crisis in SA is hurting the economy and local businesses, and Scott Morrison is doing nothing to fix the problem.

In regional South Australia there are shortages in agribusiness, forestry, health and social services, tourism and hospitality, construction and mining.

In Adelaide there are skills gaps in high-tech growth industries including defence, space, technology and advanced manufacturing industries.

Scott Morrison has no plan to help South Australians secure good, well paid jobs.

It was recently revealed the Liberals have spent almost $1 billion less on TAFE and training than they promised.

If the Liberals don’t do something serious to fix the skills crisis they have created in South Australia, we could be looking at the extinction of the tradie.

Nationwide, since the Liberals were elected six years ago, Australia has lost 150,000 apprentices and trainees.

The number of Australians doing an apprenticeship or traineeship is lower today than it was a decade ago.

There are more people dropping out of apprenticeships and traineeships than finishing them.

At the same time, there are almost two million Australians out of work or looking for more hours.

Mr Morrison isn’t training enough people for jobs in the industries facing skills shortages because he’s starving TAFEs and training of funding.

Australia is perfectly placed to reap the benefits offered by the extraordinary economic growth in our region.

Just yesterday, the recruitment firm Robert Walters predicted some wages in the renewable energy sector will grow by up 26 per cent in 2020.

But to take full advantage of this growth we must ensure our people have the skills and qualifications to exploit the looming opportunities in manufacturing and construction.

TUESDAY, 19 NOVEMBER 2019